1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manual screen printing apparatus and method for printing fabrics. In particular, the present invention relates to the application of sprayable liquid adhesives to a platen of a manual screen printing machine in order to secure a fabric to the platen prior to printing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for preventing overspray during application of a liquid adhesive to a platen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Screen printing on fabrics such as T-shirts has advanced technologically over the years. Designs printed on the fabrics have become increasingly complex and colorful. Registration of various colors must therefore be very accurate. Accurate registration demands that each color is applied in a precise physical relationship to every other color. Also required is a condition of stability for the fabric as it is positioned on the platen so that all the colors can be applied to the same area of the fabric and the fabric does not shift on the platen as it moves from color to color.
Manual screen printing is generally carried out on machines having a plurality of platens or surfaces that rotate about a stationary frame in a circular or oval track. The platens move from stage to stage, stopping for an operation. They then move onto another operation, such as printing of a single color.
Before a fabric such as a T-shirt is placed on a platen, the platen is sprayed with a liquid adhesive composition which can be water-based or organic-solvent based. Organic solvent-based adhesives are tacky when wet but lose their tackiness after solvent evaporates. Water-based adhesives are tacky when dry which causes a problem when overspray is involved. Any adhesives that are sprayed beyond the edges of the platen will adhere to the surrounding equipment and the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,614 (Foust) relates to a device for applying adhesive to platens of a textile screen printing machine. The device comprises a frame mountable to a screen printing machine so that it extends over the platens and an interconnectable housing carried by the frame. The housing contains an array of nozzles for depositing adhesive, nozzles for spreading adhesives as by blowing air and a nozzle for drying the adhesive as by blowing a gas. The '614 patent relates to automatic textile screen printing machines rather than manual machines. Also, the invention is directed to the elimination of spray cans of solvent-based adhesives and sprayers of water-based adhesives.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,202 (Schlichting) relates to a method and apparatus of temporarily attaching textile articles to a pallet for screen printing. A pallet pad is provided which has adjacently adhered sheets. Each sheet has a non-transferable adhesive coating on a substantial portion of its upper surface. Once the upper surface of the sheet is exposed, the adhesive coating is capable of removably retaining textile articles thereon. This invention is directed to the complete elimination of aerosol-borne adhesive compositions which are directly sprayed onto a pallet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,343 (Hoffman, Jr. et al.) discloses a contaminant remover useful for cleaning a printing surface of a printing machine. The contaminant remover is preferably a roller which is at least equal to a dimension of the printing surface. An adhesive layer is applied to the contaminant remover either by manual spraying or by automation. The printing surface is defined as a shirt, shorts, hat, flag, banner, bag and the like. In a process, the contaminant remover engages the printing surface and moves across the printing surface to remove contaminants which may undesirably block portions of a printing screen.
None of the above-reference patents, taken either individually or in combination, anticipate the present invention as claimed.